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Chamber of Commerce urges members to consider the J1 summer work-travel visa program

Oct 06, 2021 11:29AM ● By Editor
From the Cook County Chamber of Commerce - October 6, 2021

Were you among those Cook County employers who suffered from a shortage of staff this past summer -- and the year before as well? If you were, we encourage you to investigate participating in the U.S. government's J1 summer work-travel visa program for college students from foreign countries. 

To help you evaluate whether the J1 program might be a good fit for you, the Chamber has arranged -- for Chamber members only -- a Zoom meeting introduction featuring three business owners and managers with extensive experience in the program: Beth Kennedy of Beth's Fudge and Birchbark Books & Gifts, Dan Riddle of Blue Water Cafe and Eric Frost of Bluefin.

Beth Kennedy advises that you need to act sooner than later, as program deadlines are approaching.

Join us at 5 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 13, for a robust discussion of the J1 program. The Zoom invitation is below. We encourage you to join us live, but we also will record the session and make the video available online.

First, however, if you are not familiar with the J1 program, here is an explainer from the U.S. State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs:


Also from the State Department is this list of authorized sponsoring agencies through which you can pursue your J1 visa workers:


While we have no preference, two sponsoring agencies with which local employers have worked are:

Council on International Educational Exchange in Portland, Maine

InterExchange in New York City. 

Here is the Zoom meeting invitation: (Reminder: For Chamber Members ONLY)

Topic: J1 summer work-travel visa program informational meeting
Time: Oct 13, 2021 05:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82980684008?pwd=VHc3aDZJdFcwbkhFNUNDR3g3b0RZZz09
Meeting ID: 829 8068 4008
Passcode: 558419

Contact:
Jim Boyd
Executive Director
Cook County Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 805 
Grand Marais, MN 55604
218-370-9665 (office/cell)
218-387-2466 (home)
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